1 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~November 14, 2008 כאן צוה ה’ את הברכה CommunityNewspaper פרשת חיי שרה | כג' חשון , תשס”ט | בס”ד WEEKLY VOL. II | NO 4 NOVEMBER 21, 2008 | CHESHVAN 23, 5769 WELCOME SHLUCHIM! Page 3 HoraV HachossiD CHABAD OF CHEVRON REB AharoN ZAKON pAGE 12 THE REBBE'S SICHA TO THE SHLUCHIM PAGE 2 Beis Din of Crown Heights 390A Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tel- 718~604~8000 Fax: 718~771~6000 Rabbi A. Osdoba: ❖ Monday to Thursday 10:30AM - 11:30AM at 390A Kingston Ave. ☎Tel. 718-604-8000 ext.37 or 718-604-0770 Sunday-Thursday 9:30 PM-11:00PM ~Friday 2:30PM-4:30 PM ☎Tel. (718) - 771-8737 Rabbi Y. Heller is available daily 10:30 to 11:30am ~ 2:00pm to 3:00pm at 788 Eastern Parkway # 210 718~604~8827 ❖ & after 8:00pm 718~756~4632 Rabbi Y. Schwei, 4:00pm to 9:00pm ❖ 718~604~8000 ext 36 Rabbi Y. Raitport is available by appointment. ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ☎ Rabbi Y. Zirkind: 718~604~8000 ext 39 Erev Shabbos Motzoei Shabbos Rabbi S. Segal: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ❖ Sun ~Thu 5:30pm -9:00pm or ☎718 -360-7110 Rabbi Bluming is available Sunday - Thursday, 3 -4:00pm at 472 Malebone St. ☎ 718 - 778-1679 Rabbi Y. Osdoba ☎718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 10:0am -11:30am ~ Fri 10:am - 1:00 pm or 4:16 5:17 ☎ 718 -604-0770 Gut Shabbos Rabbi S. Chirik: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 5:00pm to 9:00pm 2 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~November 14, 2008 The Vaad Hakohol REBBE'S STORY “When one tells a story about his Rebbe he connects to the deeds of the Rebbe” (Sichos 1941 pg. 68) Dr. Ruth Benjamin’s Yechidus with the Rebbe This is a Yechidus of the Rebbe with ter from someone who was questioning Ruth: I can still be a psychologist with- Rebbe: Tell him he is part of G-d’s world Dr. Ruth Benjamin, Johannesburg, the value and meaning of life. out a doctorate. It would just mean that and he has a responsibility to Him. S.A. The Yechidus took place in Sivan I cannot call myself “Dr. Benjamin.” Is After the Yechidus, I wrote down Ruth: Do we a have responsibility to 1972. www.Portraitofaleader.blog- that important? everything I could remember, almost the non-Jew? spot.com. in the form of the script of a play. This Rebbe: It is important for prestige. Rebbe: We have a responsibility to the “In Sivan 1972 I had my firstY echidus was a long time ago and today I would Ruth: Isn’t prestige a bad sort of Jew first and then to the non-Jew. (private audience) with the Rebbe. I not address the Rebbe so casually. I am motivation? took my daughter, Devorah Chana, with sure I have not recorded the Rebbe’s The Rebbe then picked up on the me. In advance, I had written theR ebbe, exact words, or mine for that matter. Rebbe: I mean prestige for Yiddishkeit. problem of suicide: a somewhat lengthy note. Someone had However, this was written immediately If you have a doctorate and a woman Suicide is exactly the same as murder. told me I could only write one page, so afterwards (at around 5 a.m. after a comes to you and you tell her about Our bodies do not belong to us. We can- I had written everything on one legal- night of not sleeping) and I have stayed Taharat Hamishpacha [Jewish laws of not do what we like with them. They are size page in tiny, block lettered printing with most of what I have put down as it married life], she will listen to you. not ours. Get them to understand this. it was so small that the Rebbe took a is probably the most authentic. On the question of non-Jewish patients, We cannot even hurt our own bodies in magnifying glass to read it. Rebbe: Complete your thesis. It is the Rebbe said something to this any way. TheR ebbe then spoke about There were many matters about which already 90% finished. effect: the person [whose letter I had brought I wanted to ask the Rebbe. I was busy to him] who was questioning the worth Ruth: Shall I do a doctorate? What “They have seven laws. Lead them to with my master’s thesis on the psychol- of life. TheR ebbe said that I should tell about on Taharat Hamishpacha? It is these laws, to all of them. This is part of ogy of Judaism and had sent the Rebbe such people that they have a double duty psychologically brilliant, of course... our duty.” TheR ebbe then enumerated a copy what I had written to date. I to perform after the last war when so the Laws. also asked if I should continue, with Rebbe: Do your doctorate, but not in many Jews were murdered. They had to my doctorate completing my master’s religion and not in philosophy. Ruth: These people need something. live not only for themselves but for all thesis. My husband was a psychiatrist One man tried to commit suicide a of these. They must live to draw people Ruth: Not in religion? and I, a clinical psychologist and we couple of times and came to my office. to Judaism. In doing this they will find saw many non-Jewish patients. I asked Rebbe: Neither in philosophy. Don’t I got him to the hospital in time. He their own turmoil will pass away. The the Rebbe if we should encourage them study apikorsis (heresy). Don’t study then came to me and said: “You are Rebbe made sure that I would convey towards Christianity or should we let apikorsis as it will lead others to study responsible for my being alive. Now this message. TheR ebbe ended with a them build up their faith in G-d within apikorsis. Do it in something else. You give me something to live for.” blessing saying that he was waiting for themselves. I had also brought in a let- need it to help you in your work. the rest of my thesis.” and the International Conference of is the soul, but the service of the soul Rebbe’s Sicha to the Shluchim Shluchim. Similarly, there is a con- must be directed towards reaching that nection to the Torah reading of the ultimate era when the prominence of 27th of Cheshvan, 5752 itself implies that the Jews are given previous week, Parshas Chayei Sarah, the body will be revealed. prominence. which describes the shlichus on which Published and copyright © by Sichos The name of this week’s Torah reading E liezer, Avraham’s servant, was sent. In English Herein, there is a connection to the raises a difficulty: Just as this portion service of every Jew as reflected in the In the course of carrying out this begins with the phrase “These are the We are taught “Open with blessing,” narrative of Yaakov and Esav related in shlichus, Eliezer made a statement that toldos (‘chronicles’) of Yitzchak,” we and, indeed, the Torah itself follows our Torah reading. Esav was the first- reflects the purpose of the mission of find that Parshas Noach begins with this pattern, beginning with the letter born and, as explained in Chassidus, every Jew, “I am Avraham’s servant.” the phrase, “These are the toldos of Beis which is associated with the word shares a connection with the lights of “I am,” Anochi in Hebrew is a refer- Noach.” On the surface, since Parshas Berachah. the realm of Tohu which transcend ence to the Giving of the Torah, for Noach comes before Parshas Toldos, Furthermore, the first word of the the realm of Tikkun, (the latter being the Ten Commandments begin with it would seem proper that it be given Torah, Bereishis, can be broken up associated with Yaakov). Nevertheless, that word. the name Toldos and Parshas Toldos into Bais Reishis, two firsts, refer- the fact that these lights are alluded to be called Yitzchak. Similarly, the expression “Avraham’s ring to the Torah and the Jewish in the Torah indicates that the intent is servant” refers to the Jewish people’s This concept can be explained in a people. Among these two, the Jewish that these lights of Tohu will ultimately role as being G-d’s servants as reflected manner which relates to the spiritual people are given primacy, for as the be enclothed in the vessels of Tikkun. in the promise “When you take the service of every Jew and more particu- Tana d’Bei Eliyahu states the Torah This ultimate level is not revealed at people out of Egypt, you will serve G-d larly, to a Jew’s spiritual service as it is present in the time of exile, but will on this mountain.” TheA riZal explains reflected within his material activities. Newspaper be revealed in the Era of the Redemp- that the service associated with the Toldos also means “progeny” and in Community tion. It is, however, possible to achieve exodus from Egypt and the giving of an extended sense refers to our good a foretaste of this at present in one’s the Torah began with Avraham. Thus deeds, for our Sages declared, “The 392 Kingston Avenue individual life, redemption in one’s the term “Avraham’s servant” implies a essential progeny of a Tzaddik are his Brooklyn, NY 11225 personal sphere. And the experience of dedication to carrying out the service good deeds.” Noach is associated with [email protected] such a revelation on a personal level will mentioned above.